


Beyond the Veil

by marionne25



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Dark, F/M, Mystery, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2020-04-08 08:13:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19103203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marionne25/pseuds/marionne25
Summary: Draco and Hermione faces the world in the aftermath of the war - everyone comes back the same from it, except for one.A story like no other that brings forth together two people together - but it has come too late for either?For death doesn't discriminate sinners from saints - as it only takes, and takes and it takes - and the rest just keep on living anyway.





	1. Chapter 1

"Death does not discriminate the sinners from the saints. It only takes and it takes and it takes and we just keep on living anyway." - Lin Manuel Miranda

 

 

Introduction

 

It is roughly months later since the Battle at Hogwarts had been won by Harry Potter and his friends.  
The joys of victory and pangs of the war had taken over each individual and had come and gone to pass.  
Death Eaters has died or are behind bars awaiting their fate at Azkaban, the heroes of the war had been given glory and their rightful Order of Merlin – and then there were those - who had come to face the war to endure the pain of what has been lost for those who are still left behind.  
They said that war changes each individual – their way of living, their perspective and even in the way they speak. Then there are even certain changes that aren’t only daunting and inevitable but rather enriching for the soul. And then there are those things for which are left unspoken, unknowable but merely accepted without any question.

Hermione Granger wakes up every morning to a life she has only ever imagined of living at the brink of a war they feared and almost lost from.  
Ron Weasley is whisked off to another country to play professional Quidditch and Harry Potter is personally invited by the Minister of Magic to enter an Advance Auror Training to become what he always wanted to be. And Hermione Granger has been offered a position at St. Mungo’s Hospital.

All is well as it may all seem to be.

All until one patient walks into Hermione’s office – and life – one who has seen the war differently and who seemed to receive not only dramatic but drastic changes that are almost extramundane.  
For everyone came back with the same ideal, except for one.

Draco Malfoy seemingly exerts all possible energy he has to dedicate into burying his past and his mistakes behind by changing in such measures that drives Healer-In-Training Hermione Granger into the edge.  
It is not Draco Malfoy’s change of perspective towards Purebloods, Half-Bloods and Muggle-Borns that perplexes Hermione. But neither is it Draco’s change in attire, surprising intellect in things, tumultuous charitable actions towards strangers, lack of interest at the outrageous inheritance at his feet – but the inexplicable attention he gives Hermione that borders the line of affection.  
Healer Granger diminishes all possible illusions of change from Draco Malfoy and is strongly determined to prove that the façade he shows the world is part of his plan to gain access to the society’s hearts in order to receive sympathy for which he can later use to release his father from Azkaban.  
But what takes place is an unlikely weave of fate and a risk she is goaded into taking by the Pureblood heir she is slowly, unknowingly falls for – the same boy who seems to harbor a truth that will destroy all that she has believed in.  
It isn’t the question of their trust towards one another but rather the question if they are still sane enough to truly trust one another in a world that seems different than they had both hoped for.

Amidst all that is taking place, Hermione feels that something is not right – something is vaguely amiss that takes form in certain discrepancies, vanishing evidences, cryptic messages and most importantly, feelings that felt nothing short of a déjà vu from an old flame that was never given a chance to grow.  
Could it just be her fear of falling for Draco’s Prince-Charming façade that doesn’t feel right – or is it something else?

Hermione finds herself webbed in questions that should no longer be existing for the war has been won over…  
The brightest witch of her age finds herself trapped in an intriguing path for which Draco seems the only one to have all answers she requires.  
But the time she spends with the Malfoy heir does not only raise more questions and add fuel to the fire that creates a scandal and stifling conflict and jealousy that decays her relationship with the Boy Who Lived – but one that draws her closer to one truth about the aftermath of the war that can be scarier than what any of them has ever faced.  
Could she trust him when fear and confusion cripples all that she has ever believed and allow Draco to guide her through the daunting and blinding darkness with a truth that is far more horrifying than anything she has ever endured?

For death does not discriminate between the sinners and saints – it only takes and it takes and takes and the rest just keep on living.

Nothing has ever been fair in the lives of those who had been passed by war – as no individual could ever come back the way they were – not those who had moved on and especially not those who had been left behind.

War forces changes that aren’t only inevitable, overwhelming or alarming – but could also be as dark and sinister as the truth it has left on its wake that lies on the other side, just beyond the veil.


	2. I The House Call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've realized it's been close to a year since I updated this Dramione work of mine. 
> 
> I've been away for a long time because well, life happens. And since dad passed away October last year, I didn't feel like going back to the things that make me happy were helping at all. 
> 
> Yes, this is the sound and face of depression. 
> 
> But I am trying my best to write again to help me cope through all these. 
> 
> Sending love and light

**_Beyond the Veil_ **

**_I_ **

**_The House Call_ **

****

_There were voices._

_There were voices – excited voices all over and around._

_The sound of cheers, the wails of joy, names being chanted over._

_But everything looked unclear._

_Until something glowed – a flash of great light, of something big and even majestic with the sound of fireworks.._

_Then silence._

_An echo._

_No, a scream._

_There was a scream. No, there were screams._

_No, echoes.. yes, they were echoes of voices.. of voices both familiar and unfamiliar.._

_And then there was a voice – calling her.. calling her closer by the moment.. calling her name.. calling her for something… telling her something._

_What was her name?_

_What was his name?_

_It was only a voice – clear, rich, unfazed and determined in a way._

_She was called again._

_Her head whirled, turned and eyes narrowed as her brown orbs tried to locate where the sounds were coming from._

_The light had vanished and it turned dark._

_It was dark, very dark and she couldn’t make out the silhouettes and shadows moving around and about her._

_And then she felt it – someone came to her and had firmly taken her hand making sure that they weren’t going to be separated from the crowd around._

_She looked up but the darkness was eating everything up and she couldn’t see who it was._

 

_“Hermione..” the voice called her._

_Her eyebrow quirked up as her name became clear._

_She remembered her name then but she couldn’t make out who was standing next to her._

_But before she could open her mouth to ask his name or what was happening – something else happened._

_The grounds from where they stood suddenly crumbled and started giving away._

_The hand held her arm now instead with the other taken around her waist._

_She looked up, alarmed and fearful._

_A pair of what looked like gray and blue eyes greeted her – a pair of orb that looked nothing like beautiful ice melting into her glare._

 

_“Do you trust me?” the voice asked again._

_The sounds around them became clearer into what seemed like chaos._

_Her heart was beating fast now – from fear, from anticipation or whatever it was that caused it – she wasn’t sure._

_Why was the world in chaos?_

_What was going on?_

_“Do you trust me?” the voice repeated clearly._

_She wanted to know why he was asking but before she could even ask, her body moved in its own accord as if it was separate from her mind that was always reasonable and logical._

_She felt distracted for a split moment as she felt the warmth of fire suddenly coming around her._

_It was like they were suddenly lit into flames._

_Was it because he was gazing back at her with those eyes?_

_He waited as he stared back at her._

_Hermione nodded her head without missing a heartbeat._

_He took a tighter hold around her as the grounds beneath them started to completely give away._

_She moved closer to him, feeling secured and safe in his arms._

_She looked up and saw the features of his face._

_She knew that face too well._

_He smiled back at her with only his eyes speaking to her for what felt like the longest moment._

 

_“Can I trust you?” he asked her then._

_“Yes.” Hermione answered placing her hand around him as well._

_Her eyes widened as her voice echoed back into her ear._

_He smiled back at her._

_“Take my hand.”  he whispered with a smile despite the sadness in his beautiful eyes._

_“Until the end.” she whispered back at him taking his hand._

_He held it firmly and kissed it._

 

_“On the count of three.” he said._

_“On the what-“_

_“One.”_

_“Wait. What? What’s –“_

_“Two.”_

_“Hold on – what’s going on- what are you going-“_

_“Three.”_

_“Oh my god. I trust you!”_

_She braced herself and he took a tighter hold of her into his arms._

_The grounds faltered and the sensation of falling came without a warning._

_They were falling and her screams wouldn’t end in its deafening form._

And then Hermione Jean Granger woke up.

Her alarm was blazing like fire as well.

“Oh gods..” Hermione muttered, facedown and buried beneath her pillows and blanket.

The alarm was going on all over her room and she felt going crazy at the beeping sound it made.

_What time was it?_

After a few words were muttered, she tried to move the muscles in her body.

Why did she feel so heavy and pained?

 

What did she do and where had she gone the previous night?

The pain inside her head felt like her skull breaking in halves.

“Never again.” Hermione muttered trying to get up from the blankets that were drowning her.

She could just recall a bar that she went to with Harry and some friends the previous night and everything else was a haze.

That was why she didn’t really like going out until the morning to drink.

But they always seemed to enjoyed it all and they were her friends.

Hermione managed to grab the small clock and had fretted for the alarm to turn off with eyes closed and mind forcing to keep itself awake.

She looked up and it was half past nine.

There was a tapping by  her window.

“Oh god.” Hermione muttered trying to block all sounds away from her. “Oh god. Please.. just five minutes.”

The tapping wouldn’t stop at all.

She had an owl post at half past nine.

Cursing, she turned around and about and forced herself out of the bed, carrying her heavy body and exhausted mind.  

Wrapping her blanket around her body, she walked to her window like a zombie with every bit of heavy feeling in her.

She turned the lock and pulled up the window and the large owl swooped in.

It dropped the letter by her feet and swooped straight over the side of the room where a bowl of owl treats had always been prepared for situations like that.

Hermione bent over to pick up the letter and quickly opened it realizing it was Bill and Fleur’s owl.

 

“See you at brunch at the Weasley’s. I slept over. I’ll pick you up by ten. Harry.”

“Mother of dragons.” Hermione muttered realizing how little time she had to prepare.

The owl took a mouthful of treats and swooped out of her window as fast as it had come.

It was already 9.35 in the morning and Harry was bound to arrive in a few minutes – and he was always on time when it came to her.

Without much of a choice, Hermione hurried herself to her wardrobe to pick a nice dress after her shower before Harry gets into her apartment.

 

 

It has been a few months since the downfall of the Dark Lord and his allies.

The whole of the wizarding world was just trying to cope through all that it has endured and all the losses they would now have to face and accept.

It wasn’t easy, but life had to do on.

And with Harry by hers side, Hermione knew that she would always just make it onto another day despite everything that has happened to each of them.

After all, they had one another.

 

 

“No.” Hermione snapped at him. “I do not remember doing that.”

Harry chuckled back at her.

He picked her up right at her apartment and had to wait for an hour for her to finish her girly-rituals before she was ready to go down with him to make a small walk at the park that they always did on Sunday mornings before getting themselves to the Weasley’s weekly brunch.

“You were so drunk, dancing all over the place – I’ve never seen-“

_“Not a word_.” Hermione squealed burying her eyes behind very large sunglasses.

“I’m only saying,” Harry slowly began with a bit more of perspective into his tone, “is that I’ve never seen you that happy before.”

“I wasn’t happy.” Hermione snapped back at him. “I was crazy. I wasn’t thinking. I am never going to do that again.”

“Suit yourself.” Harry smiled at her taking her hand as they walked down the sidewalk. “I heard that just lastweek.”

 

 

Hermione hit him with her small handbag.

“Fall is beautiful.” Hermione commented after a while as they walked down the streets, hand in hand while her other hand held an icecream that Harry had bought her.

The sky was bluish with a bit of sunlight and the air around them was blowing against their faces.

Time was passing very fast.

“But isn’t it odd?” Hermione asked with a smile. “It’s still fall – shouldn’t it be-“

 

“’Mione, ‘Mione. Seriously.”

Harry only chuckled at her and the way her brain works – it will always never fail to surprise him for her to ask every bit of thing around them.

But before Harry could continue, a girl who was walking from their opposite direction had collided fast and brushed against Hermione.

“What in the mother-“ Hermione yelped in her surprise as her icecream nearly toppled over her nice rose and pink dress.

Harry held her hand as they both stopped, looking back at the girl who didn’t seem to offer anything but rudeness back at them.

“Did you see that?” Hermione asked him removing her shades to take a closer look at the girl who was walking fast away from them. “And now she’s running away from us? Let me at her – let me-”

“Hermione-“ Harry said quickly placing his arms around her waist to stop her from getting anywhere other than staying at his side.

“I’m sorry for bumping into you!” Hermione yelped to the direction of the girl who still completely ignored her. “Bloody hell.”

Harry held her closer to keep her calm.

“Hermione, come, let’s go-“

“Did you-“

“I saw.” Harry cut her short with a smile as he placed his arm over her. “But just calm yourself down, okay? We’re off to have a good weekend.”

Hermione rolled her eyes.

Her headache was giving her all the bad moods she could carry. “I’m sorry.” Hermione said as she went back to her icecream. “My head just really hurts.”

“I’m sure Mrs. Weasley has something for you.” Harry said with a smile at her as he wiped the small icecream at the side of her lips with his finger.

 

 

 

_“Mum, they’re here!”_ Ginny’s scream could be heard all the way down the garden path.

Hermione smiled as she hurried her steps, dragging Harry behind her.

“Now you suddenly want to hurry-“

“I’m hungry.” Hermione commented rolling her eyes. “And I can smell Mrs. Weasley’s chicken pot pie all the way from here!”

Harry laughed behind her as they ran up the final steps up the cottage.

It was a slightly larger cottage that Bill had bought for his beloved wife given they were already hoping to have a bigger family.

Every Sunday since after the war, brunches were held at this place to accommodate both family and friends altogether.

Friday dinner and wine also wouldn’t go amiss from time to time.

It was a perfect cottage.

It was large, slightly an hour or two away from the city, overlooking a great view, a vast garden that Mrs. Weasley insisted on growing and a spacious place inside.

It was the perfect place to spend their Sundays altogether.

 

“Oh, Ginny!” Hermione greeted as she removed her shades to embrace her.

“Oh, mum made your favourite pie!” Ginny excitedly said dragging her inside while Harry shook hands with Bill, Charlie.

“Yes, I know.” Hermione kissed her cheek. “I could smell it all the way down the lawn.”

“And ofcourse, I’ve already taken the first bite from it.” Fleur excitedly came over, wailing in her French excitedly as she greeted Hermione.

And before Hermione could even take back her body, Mrs. Weasley had gone zooming into the room, kissing her and Harry and greeting them at the top of their lungs while announcing everything she’s cooked for everyone that Sunday brunch.

Hermione looked around at the people around her – at everyone she has been with and everyone she has just loved.

“You alright?” Fleur asked in her pretty accent dragging her aside to give her a bite from a sweet treat she had in a small plate.

Hermione grinned happily at her.

“How’s the baby bump?” she asked her excitedly taking a bite for the square cookie.

“Bloody still small.” Fleur said gesturing  over her stomach and turning sideways and back at her.

“You’ve always been skinny.” Hermione pointed out. “And besides, it’s only been what? 4 months or so?”

“Three months and two weeks.” Fleur lazily answered taking another mouthful of the dessert. “And I’ve been eating like hell. Come on, let’s get food at the kitchens but everyone is settled to eat at the living room.”

Hermione chuckled with her and looked around for Harry who was obviously already lost somewhere in the cottage with the boys.

“Hermione!” Mr. Weasley greeted them loudly with a tray of cupcakes in his hand. “Let me see you right up in a while, I need to bring this to the living room-“

“Oh, no, let me help you.” Hermione said quickly walking over to take it from him but he shook his head. “If you want to help, there is a large tray of roasted turkey over there. Give it some magic to finish cooking up or Molly will cook me.”

“Oh, I’m sure she wouldn’t.” Hermione said taking her wand out from her pocket which she just realized she had left at her apartment. ‘”Oh, hold on, I need to ask Harry-“

“It’s fine.” Charlie said who had come across the room and who had been watching them the whole time. “I’ll deal with it.”

Hermione looked up, distracted with a smile over her face.

He embraced her.

“How’s the most brilliant Hogwarts graduate?” he asked proudly.

 

“She’s a Healer now.” Harry said entering the room and helping Mr. Weasley take the tray to the living room while Ginny crossed the room to the area where the turkey was supposed to be with Percy carrying plates and utensils right behind her.

“Healer in Training.” Hermione pointed out as he grabbed two large pitches of juice from the table to bring back to the living room with the others.

Bill, Charlie and Harry had begun talking about dragons and Quidditch as they went back and forth from the kitchen to the living room, bringing in the food.

Ginny and Fleur were right behind her doing the same thing but talking to her about a few cafes that were new at Diagon Alley had been slowly being rebuilt to its former glory.

“Yes, we should go.” Hermione answered, smiling back at them as they passed the living room. “Hey George. Wake up sleepy head or else all these food will disappear!”

The two girls chuckled as Hermione kicked the end of the couch where a slumped, tired and sleeping form of whom she assumed was George lay over the largest couch with his face buried beneath his favourite scarf that Mrs. Weasley knitted for him.

“Did he over work again?” Hermione asked as George barely made a movement and a grunt at their direction as they passed him.

“Comes home about three in the morning.” Ginny answered her. “Leaves very early too. We think he’s trying to kill himself by overworking.”

“No, business is just really doing well.” Charlie piped in right behind her as he helped her with the pitchers and ushered her to grab a spot somewhere to sit and eat. “Maybe I’ll be in town for a few weeks to help him out.”

 

“Yeah.” Ginny said. “Me too. He’s been doing a lot of the work since Ron left.”

“Where is Ron?” Hermione suddenly asked wheeling her head around the room.

Other than Fred obviously, Ron was the only one who wasn’t present in the gathering.

“Wake up sleepy head.” Harry said as he messed up her hair and sank right next to her over one of the squishy couches and handed her a platter of food. “He’s already off to professional Quidditch training.”

Hermione narrowed her eyes until she slowly remembered the day he got an invite to train professionally abroad.

It was the same day she planned to answer the letter sent by St. Mungo’s inviting her to train in their department.

“I forgot about it. Sorry.” Hermione said starting off with the salad on her plate while other food were being passed around with cheers and talks.

Hermione settled and looked around her.

Everything was slowly growing and going back to normal and there was nothing more she wanted more than these.

Despite all their struggle and losses, as with Hogwarts and the rest of the wizarding community, they were going to stand up again.

“Are we all here?” Hermione asked in a mouthful of the turkey that Ginny and Fleur began serving and passing around.

“Not quite.” said a familiar voice by the doorway.

 

Everyone looked up and Hermione’s eyes felt like it had gone out of its place.

_“Professor Lupin!”_ Harry’s voice echoed all over as heads turned and the professor was quickly greeted and passed around the room like some stuffed toy to be hug.

“How is the brightest witch of her age?” he asked as he reached Hermione with a smile over his face.

 

Hermione was speechless.

_How bad was her drinking?_

There were several scars over his face and a handful of bandages that told her that it wasn’t accumulated from his transformation but from the war.

 

Harry stared right beside them with a gleam over his face.

“Healer. _In training.”_ Hermione quickly added with a narrowed look over at Harry who was just about to open his mouth to answer Lupin’s query.

“I’m sure you’ll do quite well, Miss Granger.” Lupin said.

Despite the smile over his face, there was the look of exhaustion over his eyes that told Hermione how much the war had affected him and the one loss he can never gain back.

“Come, come, Remus!” Mrs. Weasley said patting him over the back and giving him a peck over the cheek. “We’ve already began with the turkey. Why did you not bring Teddy?”

“She’s at her aunt Andromeda.” Lupin replied with a gentle smile as he was led back into the living room with the rest. “ _She’s taking very good care of him_.”

Hermione gave him a kind smile, an assuring and encouraging one as she could only think of how hard it must be to raise a child on his own.

But they were there with him.

And they were all going to raise Teddy to be a very good man just like his father.

 

“Is George really not going to eat?” Hermione curiously asked Fleur seeing her take her second plate already while Harry and the other boys were already on their third or fourth helping of turkey, salad and everything else that were buffeted around the living room.

There were freshly tossed greens, a very large turkey, a platter of sliced ham and cheese, blue berry cupcakes, an array of chicken and tuna pies, a fulfilling creamy pasta and a lot more of other dishes that Hermione supposed were an accumulation of all their favourite dishes altogether.

 

Her heart was content and fulfilled as much as her stomach hours later.

She could only hear the cheers, conversations and laughter all around her as she could barely make out everything out of her stuffed stomach.

“Is your mum trying to murder us?” Harry said recoiling in a corner of the couch with Hermione as Bill entered the room now carrying in two bottles of wine to be passed around while Ginny and Fleur excitedly entered the room with two trays each of crackers, grapes and cheese and began passing it all around.

“She’s just happy to see everyone.” Ginny said with a chuckle as she handed Harry and Hermione a glass of wine.

“We were here last week.” Harry pointed out reaching anyway for a few of the cheese and grapes.

“We are here every weekend.” Hermione pointed out as well but she grabbed a few of the cheese and grapes as well.

“Don’t worry. We won’t tired of your faces even if you eat all the food in the house.” a voice came with a smile. “Hello, ‘Mione.”

 

Hermione’s eyes widened.

“George!” she squealed quickly getting to her feet to embrace him.

He was already halfway into his platter of food despite that the scarf was askew over and around his head – exactly as it was when he was sleeping over the couch.

Hermione smiled back at him.

Some things just never change.

 

“How’s business?”

“Really well.” he replied with a smile as he took the cheese from Harry’s plate and settled himself just right in between her and Harry over the small space they had at the end of the couch. “And you? How are you?”

“Really well as well.” Hermione replied.

“How’s business with Harry?” he asked then a playful tone and look over his face as he slowly turned from her then at Harry. “Really well, as well?”

It wasn’t much of a secret to anyone that Harry had feelings for Hermione and which was shown publicly as the war drew closer to its commence and end.

“Oh please.” Harry said with a gleam over his face as well as he placed his arm around Hermione. “Booming and blooming as well.”

There were coy cheers around the living room and Hermione blushed furiously at their jeer at them.

Harry had always been a gentleman and had never forced himself towards Hermione.

She knew how he felt – how she wasn’t that ready and how she wanted their lives fixed back to normal before jumping into anything.

 

 

 

 

 

“Mrs. Weasley, thank you for everything.” Hermione said embracing the older woman as they bid them goodnight and thank for the day at about half past ten already.

Lupin was the first to leave a few hours earlier given he had to go and tend to Teddy as he had said.

Fleur had fallen asleep a little earlier while George who had disappeared somewhere in the night was probably back at Diagon Alley to do his nightly accounting of his business.

Bill and Ginny were left with Mr. Weasley to clean up after the kitchens and Charlie had left to go to a pub with some of his so-called ‘dragon mates’.

“It is always lovely to have you.” Mrs. Weasley said embracing her tightly. “Harry, you’re taking her home?”

“Yes.” Harry said giving the woman a hug. “To my home.”

Hermione nudged him over the ribs and Mrs. Weasley laughed at them.

“Take care you two.” she had said taking Hermione’s hand. “You come by any time you need anything my dear.”

“Yes, I would.” Hermione said realizing that she meant was she can come by any time she needed a mother.

After the war, Hermione was still trying to locate her parents and by far, despite that she already found them at a near location on where she’s left them, she hasn’t seen them.

She felt she needed to be emotionally ready to see them once she lifts the spell to make them remember her – and that will cost a lot of emotional feels and questions – and she wasn’t just as ready yet.

 

“Goodbye. I will see you next weekend.” Hermione said as Harry held her hand and they walked out onto the night.

Mr. Weasley suddenly came into the door to give them a last minute embrace.

Hermione laughed at his words and jokes all the day and was always proud of him as the father of all of them.

“I will see you next weekend, Mr. Weasley.” Hermione replied with a smile. “I will bring you that coffee maker I promised show you.”

He looked gleeful, as excited as ever at her promise every time they part.

Hermione had always brought him something nice from the world of Muggles to add up to his collection.

Mrs. Weasley hated the idea of all the junk piling up in his storage, but they were mostly from Hermione so she wouldn’t let it all be thrown out either.

“I will buy the beans!” Mr. Weasley excited said lowering his voice. “I have a Muggle-Born contact as well who can extract and bring me fresh beans from Brazil-“

“Alright, alright, Arthur.” Mrs. Weasley said taking Hermione and Harry again in her arms. “They have to go now. I will see you this weekend little ones.”

“Yes.” Hermione smiled back at the term and gesture. .”Yes, you will.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   _The sound of cheers, the wails of joy, names being chanted over._

_But everything looked unclear._

_Until something glowed – a flash of great light, of something big and even majestic with the sound of fireworks.._

_Then silence._

_An echo._

_No, a scream._

_There was a scream. No, there were screams._

_No, echoes.. yes, they were echoes of voices.. of voices both familiar and unfamiliar.._

_And then there was a voice – calling her.. calling her closer by the moment.. calling her name.. calling her for something… telling her something._

_What was her name?_

_What was his name?_

_It was only a voice – clear, rich, unfazed and determined in a way._

_She was called again._

_Her head whirled, turned and eyes narrowed as her brown orbs tried to locate where the sounds were coming from._

_The light had vanished and it turned dark._

_It was dark, very dark and she couldn’t make out the silhouettes and shadows moving around and about her._

_And then she felt it – someone came to her and had firmly taken her hand making sure that they weren’t going to be separated from the crowd around._

_She looked up but the darkness was eating everything up and she couldn’t see who it was._

_“Hermione..” the voice called her._

 

Hermione shot her eyes open.

The darkness had filled all over and around the room and all she could hear was the sound of her hushed breathing pattern.

She had another of that nightmare again.

When was it going to stop and where had it come from?

But before she could really comprehend her surroundings she heard an urgent tapping by her window.

It was a large white owl.

It looked a lot like Hedwig.

Despite the darkness, Hermione found her way towards the window and let the owl in.

It didn’t swoop inside to get from her owl treats bowl until she realized it wasn’t an owl but a glowing Patronus instead.

But why was it outside her window?

“Fuck. The enchantment.” Hermione muttered realizing that the wards were still all over her house when she left earlier with Harry.

The glowing light entered through her room and its form was something she couldn’t make out of.

 

_A Patronus at three in the morning?_

 

She still felt dazed and out of her head, not really knowing what to make out of the form before her.

And then it hit her.

Patronus at this hour only meant something: an emergency at the Ministry of Magic or at St. Mungo’s.

It had always been that way in the way of the war they had gone through.

This was their way of sending messages.

There were only ever three points that Aurors and the Order alike ever communicated this way in an emergency: At St. Mungo’s, at the Ministry of Magic and at Grimmauld Place.

Grimmauld Place was already out of the question.

It would only fall into the two categories and given she was contacted, it then it was obvious that they needed a Healer.

But she was a Healer in training.

But even so, it was a call at three in the morning so it might be some sort of emergency.

But before she could decide, a loud tapping at her door came this time.

“What in the world..” Hermione muttered quickly getting herself towards the door.

The moment she opened the door, she knew something had already gone terribly wrong.

“We need to get down at St. Mungo’s.” Harry breathlessly said in his Auror uniform. “Auror’s are gathered there together with the injured ones that were taken there.”

“Injured?” Hermione asked, bewildered and forcing to keep herself awake. “What’s going on?”

“A great explosion. .” Harry explained to her with great fear and worry all over his face. “Right outside the Ministry of Magic. Mr. Weasley was there for his early report and rounds and we still haven’t heard from him.”

_“Oh my god.”_ Hermione whispered covering her mouth, eyes wide. “How about Mrs. Weasley – does she-“

Harry shook his head.

“But at this moment, perhaps Bill is already speaking to her.” Harry said handing a traveling cloak to her. “We need to go. We have to leave now.” 

Tears were already filling in Hermione’s eyes as Harry tightly held her hand to take her out back into the cold morning light.

 


	3. NOTE TO ALL MY READERS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kindly read the written note

I know everyone has been anticipating new chapters to be uploaded and have been entirely disappointed because I haven’t been writing as I used to and haven’t been writing at all, to be honest. 

I kept going back, trying to write something down, trying to be inspired all over again. 

But truth be told, since my father passed away October 2018, I couldn’t find the right inspiration to do everything that I used to do. 

I’ve allowed myself to be caught up in a whirlwind of work, going to social parties or practically just locking myself up in my apartment either crying or sleeping or watching random series and being completely and utterly useless. 

I’ve also allowed myself after that chapter to go back to my being a workaholic and things don’t go the way I planned them or the way I’d like them, I’ve bounced back to drinking. 

Yes, I will admit for the first time that I recently discovered with a friend that since I’ve been drinking ‘occasionally’ from 2009 to present whenever something happens, isn’t something to be taken lightly. 

I do know and understand that it takes time to get over certain things like death, loss and relationships and drinking has been an automated go-to of most human beings but my dad died an alcoholic - a high functioning alcoholic atleast. 

 

According to studies, these are types of people who think they only drink ‘occasionally’ and are completely and utterly unaware that this have become a regular habit and they are called highfunctioning because they still do what they’re supposed to do in their daily lives like work, responsibilities, etc and somehow, I’ve adapted that from my father. 

I am a high-functioning alcoholic myself. 

 

It took me time to understand what I was going through and realize I am one. 

I’m writing it here, where I met people and call them friends instead of the ones I really see daily or know in real life. Sometimes, it’s comfortable to be more honest in this kind of world and setting, yes? 

 

My friend from childhood is helping me go through it and we did a sort of intervention last week where we also ended some sort of long-term relationship hang up I had with someone. 

And it feels good, it does feel damn good. 

I feel like I’ve been discharged from the hospital as my counseling would point out and call it with a smile. 

 

So I’m writing this to let everyone know (or atleast, those who care) why there aren’t many updates and to let you know I’m still high alive and kicking and will certainly still finish everything I have written here down to their end. 

Management is all it takes and now that I’m sort of what I call ‘free’ from the past cages, I think I’m ready to get down to business to finish everything I’ve began. 

 

Turning another year older on Saturday, btw! 

 

Lots of love everyone and I can’t wait to write and post again. 

 

Love and light 

Xx


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